“Shelters are open at the Pahoa Community Center, Kea’au Community Center and the Sure Foundation Church."

A second update at 1.30am local time (12.30pm BST) extended the evacuation notice to the Kapoho area including Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland.

Emergency evacuations are taking place in Hawaii (Image: GETTY)

The alert said: "You are at risk of being isolated due to possible lava inundation of Beach Road near Four Corners. At the present rate of flow, it is possible that Beach Road near Four Corners may be blocked within four to six hours."

The evacuation orders came as Kilauea entered its fourth week of simultaneous eruptions at its summit crater and along a six-mile string of fissures 25 miles down its easterm side.

A spokesman for the US Geological Survey said: “A fast-moving lava flow is travelling down highway 132 and is currently near the intersection of Noni Farms road.

“It advanced 800 yards over 80 minutes. The flow is fed by continued strong fountaining from Fissure 8.

Contingency plans have been made for a possible helicopter evacuation of up to 1,000 residents in a coastal area south of the fissures should their last exit route, State Highway 130, become blocked by lava or become unsafe due to gaping cracks.

At least 82 homes have been destroyed in the southeastern corner of Big Island and about 2,000 people have been ordered evacuated since Kilauea began erupting on May 3.

Hawaii volcano: Dramatic pictures of Kilauea volcano destroying homes

Wed, June 6, 2018

Hawaii volcano eruption 2018: Dramatic pictures as lava from the Kilauea volcano eruptions destroys over 40 homes in the area.

Officials have warned that sharp, thin strands of volcanic glass fibres being carried on the wind could injure eyes and lungs.

The fibres are known as “Pele’s hair” after the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and are formed through the stretching of molten basaltic glass from lava, usually from lava fountains, lava cascades and vigorous lava flows.

Pele's hair is extremely light, so the wind often carries the fibers high into the air and to places several miles away from the volcano.